Procurement Category Lead - Professional Services

You will be reporting into the Head of Group Procurement to take ownership of the category, supporting on large complex and strategic projects, whilst still looking for the best commercial value. A hugely exciting time to join the business in the midst of a procurement transformation where the team will continue to grow.

This role requires a candidate with extensive Category Management, who regularly manage CxO level stakeholders and have proven experience of doing this. Due to joining in the midst of a big transformation for the function.

Category coverage: Consultancy, Legal, Audit, Tax, Insurance, HR, Recruitment, L&D, Training, Benefits, Pensions and Reward

Category Lead – Professional Services | £80,000 to £85,000 | bonus | 12% matched pension | Healthcare | Dental | + many more benefits | 2 days a week in the office – Birmingham, Bristol, Bolton or London | One of the world’s largest insurance and financial services businesses

Role and responsibilities:

• Create a category strategy through to the delivery and performance including year on year annualised savings
• Develop group wide category plans and strategies to ensure alignment for the group, leveraging suppliers to support local offices
• Support the development of global category strategies to a clear and prioritised pipeline of sourcing projects
• Engage, manage and influence senior stakeholders from Director to Board level to ensure buy-in, utilising strong market knowledge
• Build relationships with key stakeholders to ensure a rounded knowledge of a suppliers performance
• Monitor supplier risk and performance through reporting tools and business feedback
• Be a Procurement role model by living company values, consistently delivering to the high standards expected, promoting procurement through relationships
• On top over delivering strategic projects, ensure the business is getting the best service in line with cost efficiency

Experience and requirements:

• Deep technical category experience within Professional Services and/or HR spend
• Previous experience working on complex global projects, dealing with Tier 1 suppliers of significant values
• Confident in engaging and influencing senior level stakeholders, and across various regions
• A highly strategic mindset when approaching procurement, suppliers and business needs
• Will have a track record of extensive category management, effecting change and continuous improvement through implementation of innovative category strategies
• Excellent communications skills when dealing with contacts in different cultures and countries
• Able to adapt in a very fast paced, continuously changing environment
• MCIPS qualified, nice to have but not essential